The present invention relates to a method for controlling a robotic device and a system therefore.
In particular, the present invention relates to a method for controlling a robotic device for inserting or removing rod-like elements, like smoking bars, into or from a storage frame, the rod-like elements serving for storing sausage-like products, like sausages, each having a sausage-shaped body and a loop on one end of the body for a pendulously storage of the products. The method comprises the steps of providing a movable storage frame for temporary storing rod-like elements, moving the storage frame into the operating range of the robotic device, picking up by the robotic device a rod-like element on which at least one sausage-like product is hung up, and inserting or removing the rod-like element into or from the storage frame by the robotic device. Furthermore, the invention relates to a system, for controlling a robotic device for inserting or removing rod-like elements, like smoking bars, into or from a storage frame, the rod-like elements serving for storing sausage-like products, like sausages, each having a sausage-shaped body and a loop on one end of the body for a pendulously storage of the products. The system comprises at least one movable storage frame for temporary storing rod-like elements, a robotic device for inserting or removing rod-like elements into or from the storage frame and a control unit for controlling the movement of the robotic device.
In an already known production line for producing sausage-like products, like sausages, a filling tube is provided for feeding a packing material or tubular casing, respectively, with, for example, sausage meat wherein the tubular casing is closed at one end facing in the filling direction by a first clip. After the filling operation is concluded, the tube-like casing is finally closed by a second clip. If the sausage is later to be hung up, for example for the purposes of smoking or storage, a suspension loop is fed thereto in such a way that, when the first or second clip is attached, it is embraced by the respective clip and is thus secured to the sausage. The term loops in accordance with this invention is used to denote all at least partially flexible means, by way of which articles can be hung up.
After the filling process, the sausages can be subjected to further processing, for example in a smoking chamber. For that purpose, the sausages have to be transported to the end of the conveyor and there taken over by an automatic hanging line, in which the sausages are hung up on a rod-like element, such as a smoking rod, at their loops one after another in such a way that, as far as possible, they do not touch each other. Afterwards, the smoking rods are transported to a further storage frame which has rollers for transporting the smoking rods into a smoking chamber. A robotic device is provided for removing smoking rods from the storage frame and/or inserting smoking rods into the storage frame.
A robotic device being part of an automatic sausage production line for inserting or removing rod-like elements into or from a storage frame is known from EP patent application 1 994 829.
In the production of sausage-like products, there is a great variety of machines being components of the respective production line. Said machines may vary in size, in rate of production or in size of products. Thus, they also may vary in the kind of used rod-like elements, on which the sausage-like products are to be stored and in the kind of storage frames, to which the rod-like elements are to be fed or from which they have to be removed. Even if identical rod-like elements are used, depending on the kind of sausage-like products and their further treatment, like smoking or boiling for sausages as sausage-like products, the rod-like elements together with the sausage-like products hanging thereon, have to be placed at specific positions inside a storage frame. Moreover, there is also a great variety of storage frames used. Said storage frames may be standardized, but they may also be individual produced.
Typical storage frames used in the manufacturing process for sausages have a length of about 0.80 m to 1 m, a depth of about 1.00 m and a height of 1.20 m. The tray rails or shelf rails, respectively, which are arranged at opposite side walls of the storage frame and on which the rod-like elements are to be placed, may be formed by horizontally arranged profiles of a U-formed or square cross-section. The tray rails have a predefined vertical distance in height to each other, which is normally about 0.50 m, and also a predefined height to the bottom level. The storage frame further comprises wheels or rollers, respectively, for moving the storage frame automatically or by hand.
According to the manufacturer, the storage frame may vary in size regarding the above-mentioned dimensions and/or in the diameter of the wheels used. Moreover, in use, storage frames may be damaged, individually adapted or repaired. Thus, the rails on which the rod-like elements are to be placed, may be modified and their position may be changed.
While inserting a rod-like element together with the sausage-like products hanging thereon into a storage frame, said rod-like element may butt against the storage frame since, for example, the size of said storage frame has been modified due to adaption, repair or damage. As a result thereof, the sausage-like products may fall off the smoking rod or may be destroyed.
To avoid the above described disadvantages, only one specific kind of storage frame is usable in conjunction with the robotic device. Moreover, to restore the exact dimensions of said storage frame by e.g. repairing, a damaged storage frame is very expensive.